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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Religions & Faiths > Hinduism

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Old 05-12-2017, 02:21 AM
Shivani Devi Shivani Devi is offline
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Pranidhana And The Shvetasvara Upanishad

Namaste.

Recently, I have subscribed to the website Indiadivine.org:
https://www.indiadivine.org/

I have been getting notifications in my notifications tray, which basically corresponds to the level of awareness I'm at and answers specific questions I ask the Universe at any given time.

Today, I decided to just browse and graze at the many offerings...then stumbled across a beautifully written article on Vedic Yoga and the Svetasvatar Upanishad:

https://www.indiadivine.org/vedic-or...oga-upanishad/

It helped to re-stoke and rekindle the passionate love-affair I have with Lord Shiva.

There was one word...just one word in the whole of that essay which peaked my focused attentions...Pranidhana.

I had a vague concept of the term in its Sanskrit etymological sense as being 'devotion' which took shraddha...which etymologically corresponds to 'faith'...but my attempts to find any English equivalent for the Devanagari always seems to fall quite short of the mark.

So, off I went on another online search and found another beautiful article called "Ishvara Pranidhana":
https://jivamuktiyoga.com/fotm/ishva...wer-surrender/

Pranidhana can thus literally be translated to "the power of surrender".

It is exactly what I needed to hear and to read at the current time...as if my eyes...my hands...my online searches were being guided by Lord Shiva Himself, with me just being the puppet through which that happens.

I eventually mentally interposed and married the two articles, and came up with the essence of Parabhakti, Advaita Vedanta and basically the whole of Hindu thought in one neat nutshell of a package.

Please take time to read it, leave your comments below and I look forward to having some enjoyable discussions on the nature of content. With kind regards.

Om Namah Shivaya
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Old 05-12-2017, 02:28 PM
Shivani Devi Shivani Devi is offline
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This just keeps on getting better!

Today, I was in deep meditation on this verse from the Rig Veda:

"I yogically unite by the power of surrender to your ancient Brahman. May this chant go forth by the path of the Sun. May all the sons of immortality hear it, those who dwell in celestial domains."

Then, I started reading the Rig Veda again, mentally...after some time, I was led to a book called "The Vedic Experience" - written by The Himalayan Academy and to a specific chapter within it:

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/medi...art3_ch02.html

Quote:
Janaka of Videha once asked Yajnavalkya, “What is used for the agnihotra, Yajnavalkya? Can you tell me?”
“I can, O king,” he replied.
“What is it, then?”
“Milk,” he said.
“If there were no milk, what would you use for the offering?”
“Rice and barley.”
“And if there were no rice and barley, what would you use?”
“Some other herbs.”
“And if there were no other herbs, what would you use?”
“I would use wild herbs,” he said.
“And if there were no wild herbs, what would you use?”
“Some fruit.”
“And if there were no fruit, what would you use?”
“I would use water,” he said.
“And if there were no water, what would you use?”
“Then indeed,” he replied, “there would be nothing at all, and yet an offering could be made--truth with faith.”
Janaka then said: “You know the agnihotra, Yajnavalkya; I give you a hundred cows.”

All of this came on the back of me trying to explain Sankya Philosophy to a Buddhist in terms of Vedanta:

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...d.php?t=118918

It has been a heck of a wild ride on the Dharma train today.

Om Namah Shivaya
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Old 05-12-2017, 03:10 PM
Shivani Devi Shivani Devi is offline
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I also recall a while ago now having a similar conversation with Lord Shiva about the most suitable offering for the Shiva Lingam to express the depth of my love:

Shiva: "So what will you offer my Lingam today?"
Me: "I would offer You, Your favourite...bilva leaves!"
Shiva: "...and if you can't get the bilva leaves, what then?"
Me: "I would offer You ganja leaves"
Shiva: "Good luck finding those...they are illegal...so no ganja...next"
Me: "If I couldn't get ganja leaves, I'd offer You datura flower"
Shiva: "Wrong time of year for those...try again"
Me: "okay...gardenia (chameli) flowers then"
Shiva: "...and if you couldn't get those?"
Me: "I'd offer milk or ghee"
Shiva: "I like that straight from the cow and not out of bottles...can you oblige?"
Me: "Of course I can't...You know it!...water then...I'd just offer water".
Shiva: "It must be Ganges water...got any on you?"
Me: "Not at the moment...getting some though".
Shiva: "So what will you offer my Lingam today?"
Me: "I will offer of myself and heart in the spirit of love"
Shiva: "I shall accept such an offering from my precious devotee"
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